FCC Chairman Questions YouTube TV’s Alleged Discrimination Against Faith-Based Programming

WASHINGTON, D.C. — FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is seeking answers from Google regarding allegations of faith-based discrimination by YouTube TV. In a letter sent on Friday to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Carr expressed concerns raised by Great American Media about the platform’s refusal to carry its channel, Great American Family.

Great American Media claims that YouTube TV purposefully marginalizes faith-based and family-friendly content, despite being one of the fastest-growing channels in cable television. They argue that while their network is available on other platforms like Comcast, Cox, Hulu, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream, it has been repeatedly rejected by YouTube TV.

In his letter, Carr stated, “Independent programmers frequently file complaints with the FCC when an MVPD [multichannel video programming distributor] refuses to carry their channel. But in the case of YouTube TV, concerns have been raised alleging that your company has a policy that discriminates against faith-based programming.”

The FCC chairman emphasized the rise of censorship by tech companies and conveyed his intent to determine if YouTube TV engages in discriminatory practices against faith-based channels. He set a deadline of March 11 for a briefing from the company.

A YouTube spokesperson responded by stating, “We welcome the opportunity to brief the FCC on YouTube TV’s subscription service and the strategic business decisions we make based on factors like user demand, operational cost, and financial terms, and to reiterate that we do not have any policies that prohibit religious content.”

Doug Deason, Chairman of Great American Media, commended Carr’s efforts, saying, “We are grateful for Commissioner Carr’s commitment to ensuring that all voices—including those that reflect faith values—receive fair treatment on major streaming platforms.”

Carr’s initiative follows ongoing discussions about regulatory oversight of virtual multichannel video programming distributors, like YouTube TV. He remarked that although the FCC currently has limited authority over such entities, it is evaluating whether it should broaden its regulatory framework to encompass them.

In addition to this matter, Carr is also investigating CBS News for possible violations of the FCC’s “news distortion” policy after the broadcast of a controversial interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The heightened scrutiny comes at a time when public concerns over digital platform accountability and content moderation practices are increasing.

“In too many cases, tech companies have silenced individuals for doing nothing more than expressing themselves in the digital town square,” Carr added in his letter.